MetroMan: Twinkle toes

Wayne enjoys a foot massage before Carine gets stuck in to those rough feet!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I agreed to go along with Wayne to have a mani pedi.

First, I was scared to see his feet, which are normally kept safely in his shoes and socks during work. Second, I was battling a bad case of jealousy as I sat there with my broken nails and sore feet, watching him be pampered.

When we walked into Skin Spa in Hamilton, the lighting was dim, the smell was delightful, and the music was instantly soothing. Can I stay here forever? Am I still in Hamilton?

Carine met us at the counter and took us through into a room looking out over Alexandra St. Wayne removed his shoes; I was a little frightened by the state of feet which had been kept captive in covered shoes for some time.

Carine got stuck in to regenerate the well used feet from years of marathon running. At this point I looked at my own tired feet and was instantly envious. Who wouldn't want a foot massage on a Thursday afternoon?

Carine began massaging in a basin of water, perhaps a wise idea . . . I for one would not be touching feet straight from their shoes.

Next Wayne sat on the heated bed with delight. "Oh! It's warm!" After trimming nails that had been grown for this occasion, she brought out the big tools - a large, rough file to remove the dead, dry skin from around the heel. I must say I was rather impressed by the thoroughness of it.

The spa is in its eighth year and Carine said they have seen an increase in men wanting manscaping, facials, and their eyebrows shaped. And I suppose she's right when she said men need to take care of themselves too. Wayne's feet looked good as new, and much younger than his silver years, even the toe which had been in a disagreement with a shovel was looking less like it had been in battle.

To finish off the experience, Wayne was treated to a manicure, just to give those hands a bit of an uplift after years of working though he opted out of having them painted . . . as pretty as he would have looked.

Skin Spa offer a range of treatments, from massages and tanning, to waxing, and manicures and pedicures like Wayne enjoyed. To see their range of services or learn more about the business, visit www.skinspa.co.nz.